[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 7869--FEB. 7, 2005
Proclamation 7869 of February 7, 2005
National Consumer Protection Week, 2005
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
This year's National Consumer Protection Week focuses on the impact and
problems caused by identity theft and on the steps Government is taking
to safeguard personal information. Today, many Americans reveal personal
information when making purchases, borrowing money, or opening a bank or
credit card account. This information makes it convenient to conduct
routine transactions, but consumers must take precautions to protect
their names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and
account numbers against fraud and theft.
As one of the highest impact financial crimes in our Nation, identity
theft can undermine the basic trust on which our economy depends.
Millions of Americans have had their identity stolen, costing them and
our country's businesses billions of dollars. Identity theft can shake
consumers' confidence, destroy a person's financial reputation, and
damage lifelong efforts to build and maintain a good credit rating.
We are acting to protect citizens from these crimes and the grief and
problems they cause. During the last 2 years, I have signed the Fair and
Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, which makes it easier for
consumers to detect and protect themselves from fraud, and the Identity
Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, which strengthens the penalties for
identity theft. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service are working with
State and local officials to stop the criminal networks responsible for
much of the identity theft in America. The Federal Trade Commission also
trains local law enforcement in detecting and investigating identity
theft, and they have set up the Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, which
tracks complaints across the country and provides these

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records to prosecutors seeking to shut down those who steal our
citizens' good names.
Consumers can learn to prevent identity theft by visiting the National
Consumer Protection Week website, www.consumer.gov/ncpw. Working
together, we can reduce this growing problem and protect the financial
security of our citizens and our Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 6 through
February 12, 2005, as National Consumer Protection Week. I call upon
government officials, industry leaders, and consumer advocates to
provide citizens with information about identity theft and how they can
be responsible consumers, and I encourage all citizens to take an active
role in protecting their personal information.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of
February, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH